County profile · official public datasets

Ocean County, NJ

241 public highway bridges tracked in the FHWA National Bridge Inventory: 45.6% rated Good, 51.5% Fair, 2.9% Poor.

241
Public bridges
45.6%
Good condition
2.9%
Poor condition

The verdict

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory.

Ocean County pairs a top-quartile lowest Poor-condition share among rated counties in the state with a newer average build year than the state inventory.

Top 19%
lowest Poor share in state
2.9%
Poor-condition share
241
public highway bridges
1981
avg year built

Poor is an FHWA condition category from the lowest applicable component rating (4 or below), not a live crossing-safety or closure decision. Rankings cover counties with at least five public highway bridges.

Ocean County Bridge Snapshot

According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2024 National Bridge Inventory, Ocean County ranks #4 of 21 New Jersey counties with at least 5 public highway bridges on Poor-condition share (lower share ranks better; currently 2.9%). Ocean County, New Jersey contains 241 public highway bridges. Roughly 45.6% are rated “Good,” 51.5% “Fair,” and 2.9% “Poor.” Poor means the lowest applicable deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert rating is 4 or below on the 0–9 NBI scale. It is a condition category, not a live safety or closure decision.

Responsible agencies inspect covered bridges on risk-based intervals under current NBIS rules and submit inventory data to FHWA annually. The list below shows every NBI-tracked bridge in the county. Use the “Sort by” controls to change the ordering, and click any row for its reported inspection date, traffic count, and condition fields.

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory. See methodology for full definitions.

Total bridges

241

Public highway bridges in Ocean County

Good condition

45.6%

110 of 241 rated 7-9

Fair condition

51.5%

124 of 241 rated 5-6

Poor condition

2.9%

7 of 241 rated 4 or below

In-state Poor-share rank

#4 of 21

Among New Jersey counties with 5+ bridges, lower share ranks better

Condition distribution

Share of 241 NBI-tracked bridges by lowest applicable component rating.

Good
45.6% (110)
Fair
51.5% (124)
Poor
2.9% (7)

Ocean County's Poor-condition bridges carry 100,073 vehicle crossings a day

That is 2.1% of the county's reported daily bridge traffic on 2.9% of its bridges: Poor-condition structures carry less traffic than their share of the inventory. Each Poor bridge averages 14,296 crossings a day against 25,204 for a Good-condition one. A Poor rating is a condition category, not a closure or a live safety judgement; it means the lowest applicable component rating is 4 or below.

Computed over the 241 of 241 bridges in this county that report an average daily traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

37.3% of Ocean County's bridges have passed the 50-year mark

90 of the 241 bridges with a recorded construction year were built in 1974 or earlier. Age alone is not a defect: a well-maintained older bridge can rate Good, and 45.6% of this county's inventory does. Even so, this older cohort is the population from which future Poor ratings are drawn, which is why the age profile below matters alongside the condition split above.

Cutoff derives from the 2024 release year minus a 50-year design life. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

One structure carries 34.4% of the county's Poor-condition bridge traffic

NJ 35 over WILLS HOLE MANASQUAN RIV, built 1950, carries 34,451 vehicles a day, the most of any Poor-rated structure here. The county's Poor-condition exposure is concentrated rather than evenly spread, so the 7-bridge count understates how much of the daily burden sits on a single crossing.

Share is of the 100,073 daily crossings on Poor-rated bridges that report a traffic count. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

When Ocean County's bridges were built

241 bridges with a recorded construction year, grouped by decade

bridges

What this shows Construction peaked in the 2010s, when 48 of the county's bridges still in the inventory were built, which is 19.9% of those with a recorded year. That cohort is now 5 to 14 years old in the 2024 inventory. Its average build year is 1981, 15 years newer than the New Jersey average of 1966.

Source FHWA National Bridge Inventory (year built) As of 2024 NBI release

How Ocean County compares with New Jersey's closest counties by inventory size

The 5 New Jersey counties nearest Ocean County in number of bridges, with their condition splits. Its 2.9% Poor share is the 2nd-lowest of these 6. Its average build year of 1981 against a peer-group mean of 1965 is 16 years newer.

Showing the 5 closest of 20 New Jersey counties eligible for comparison.

Bridge inventory size and condition shares for Ocean County and the 5 New Jersey counties closest to it in inventory size
County Bridges Poor
Warren County 268 4.5%
Camden County 261 6.5%
Gloucester County 243 2.5%
Ocean County (this page) 241 2.9%
Atlantic County 207 5.8%
Hudson County 202 6.4%

Each share is of that county's own total tracked bridges; peers are the counties with 5 or more bridges whose inventory size is closest to Ocean County's. Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release.

Nationwide counties with similar inventory size or average build year

Two NBI-derived peer sets for Ocean County, both outside New Jersey so the neighborhoods are not the same-state size table above.

Similar inventory size

Nearest county inventories outside NJ (241 bridges here).

Similar average build year

Nearest mean year-built outside NJ (1981 here).

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory, 2024 release. Peers floor at 10 bridges so stub inventories cannot own the match.

All bridges (241)

RT 549 LANES MILL

Fair

Over: NO BRCH METEDECONK RIVER

0.7 MI N OF NJ 88, Ocean, NJ

Built 1985 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 19,307

CAMDEN AVENUE

Fair

Over: BARNEGAT BAY

.1MI W OF LONG BCH BLVD, Ocean, NJ

Built 1989 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 796

NJ 70

Fair

Over: CENTRAL RR (CONRAIL)

0.21 MI NE OF 70-547 JCT, Ocean, NJ

Built 1938 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 18,765

N.J RT 72

Fair

Over: FOX ISLAND CREEK

2.71 MI EAST OF US 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1968 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 25,332

CR105LIGHTHOUSE DR

Fair

Over: FOURMILE BRANCH

1.25 MI SOUTH RT 554, Ocean, NJ

Built 1974 Load: 35.4 t ADT: 2,173

CR 631 HOOPER AVE

Fair

Over: CEDAR BRIDGE BRCH

600 FT NORTH OF RT 528, Ocean, NJ

Built 1973 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 21,081

BATCHELOR STREET

Fair

Over: LONG SWAMP CREEK

0.12 MI. E. OF RT. 37, Ocean, NJ

Built 1977 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 889

NJ 70

Fair

Over: HURRICANE BROOK

3.4 MI E OF 70-539 JCT, Ocean, NJ

Built 1930 Load: 36.3 t ADT: 24,219

CR617 BAYVIEW AVE

Fair

Over: CLAMMING CREEK

0.06 MI NO. CR 618, Ocean, NJ

Built 1992 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 2,104

RT 530 SO.MAIN ST.

Fair

Over: MAIN BRCH OF TOMS RIVER

.03M W OF RT166 JCT., Ocean, NJ

Built 1994 Load: 37.2 t ADT: 4,862

NJ 70

Fair

Over: S. BR METEDECONK RV

0.33 MI W OF NJ 88, Ocean, NJ

Built 1937 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 31,075

BEACH BOULEVARD

Fair

Over: S. BRANCH FORKED RIVER

2.02 Mi. E. of US 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1992 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 1,860

CEDAR RUN DOCK RD

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY OF CEDAR RUN

1.45 MI. E. OF RT.9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1980 Load: 38.1 t ADT: 681

N. NEW PROSPECT RD

Fair

Over: I-195

2.01 MILES WEST OF US 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1977 Load: 39.0 t ADT: 6,090

EXIT RAMP D (RT 9)

Fair

Over: US 9/NJ 166

1.5 MI N OF RT37&GSP JCT, Ocean, NJ

Built 1998 Load: 39.2 t ADT: 10,659

RT 527-OAK RIDGE

Fair

Over: TOMS RIVER

1.49 MI N OF NJ 37, Ocean, NJ

Built 2008 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 24,221

NJ 37 WB

Fair

Over: BARNEGAT BAY

1.3 mi West Rt 35, Ocean, NJ

Built 1972 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 12,008

RT 571

Fair

Over: Toms River

0.45 mi north of RT 528, Ocean, NJ

Built 2012 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 11,467

ROUTE NJ 72

Fair

Over: MANAHAWKIN BAY

3.5 MI EAST OF US RT 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 2016 Load: 39.9 t ADT: 26,930

LACEY RD (CR 614)

Fair

Over: GSP

2 MI S OF RT618&GSP JCT, Ocean, NJ

Built 1954 Load: 40.5 t ADT: 6,541

RT 571 BEY LEA RD

Fair

Over: LONG SWAMP CREEK

0.49 MILE North OF CR 549, Ocean, NJ

Built 1977 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 27,149

WESTERN BLVD

Fair

Over: CEDAR CREEK

0.82 Mi. S. of CR 618, Ocean, NJ

Built 1969 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 2,452

GREAT BAY BLVD.

Fair

Over: LITTLE SHEEPSHEAD CREEK

6.0 Mi. S. of Rt. US 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1944 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 125

GREAT BAY BLVD

Fair

Over: SHEEPSHEAD CREEK

5.0 MI SOUTH OF RT. US 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1944 Load: 40.8 t ADT: 125

ANDERSON ROAD

Fair

Over: TOMS RIVER

1MI SE INT I-195 & CR537, Ocean, NJ

Built 1978 Load: 41.7 t ADT: 2,770

RT 547

Fair

Over: RIDGEWAY BR TOMS RIVER

1.27 Mi N of Rt NJ 70, Ocean, NJ

Built 1983 Load: 42.6 t ADT: 14,218

RT549 SALLYIKE RD

Fair

Over: SAWMILL CREEK

1.7 MI NORTH EXIT 90 GSP, Ocean, NJ

Built 1979 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 15,518

LAKE STREET

Fair

Over: UNION BRANCH OF TOMS RV.

1 BLOCK SO OF UNION AVE, Ocean, NJ

Built 1942 Load: 43.5 t ADT: 280

ROUTE NJ 72 WB

Fair

Over: MANAHAWKIN BAY

3.5 MI EAST OF US RT 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1958 Load: 45.0 t ADT: 11,707

RT 547 SQUANKUM Rd

Fair

Over: NO BRANCH METEDECONK RIV

0.6 MI N OF RT 526, Ocean, NJ

Built 1994 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 2,196

CR105LIGHTHOUSE DR

Fair

Over: TRIBUTARY MILL CREEK

0.02 MI NORTH NJ 72, Ocean, NJ

Built 2001 Load: 45.4 t ADT: 2,168

GSP NB

Fair

Over: NJ ROUTE 37

JCT OF RT 37 & GSP NB, Ocean, NJ

Built 1951 Load: 45.7 t ADT: 59,315

GSP SB

Fair

Over: NJ ROUTE 37

JCT. RT 37 & GSP SB, Ocean, NJ

Built 1951 Load: 46.7 t ADT: 60,500

CR 638

Fair

Over: I-195

4.1 mi West of US 9 Jct, Ocean, NJ

Built 1977 Load: 47.2 t ADT: 8,614

RT 528

Fair

Over: TOMS RIVER

0.80 MI EAST OF RT 571, Ocean, NJ

Built 2004 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 5,552

DIAMOND ROAD

Fair

Over: I-195

3.2 MI E I-195 EXIT 16, Ocean, NJ

Built 1970 Load: 48.1 t ADT: 10,590

US 9-SOUTH MAIN ST

Fair

Over: MIDDLE BR OF FORKED RIV

0.97 MILES S OF CR 614, Ocean, NJ

Built 1993 Load: 49.0 t ADT: 15,391

GSP NB

Fair

Over: NJ Route 88 (Ocean Ave.)

1.5 MI NW OF RT70&88 CIR, Ocean, NJ

Built 1954 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 58,350

GSP SB

Fair

Over: NJ Route 88 (Ocean Ave.)

1.5 MI NW OF RT70&88 CIR, Ocean, NJ

Built 1954 Load: 49.2 t ADT: 54,065

GSP SB

Fair

Over: NJ ROUTE 72

1.5 MI NW OF RT9&72 JCT, Ocean, NJ

Built 1954 Load: 49.6 t ADT: 34,567

CR 617 BAYVIEW AVE

Fair

Over: POTTERS CREEK

1 MILE N. OF CR 618, Ocean, NJ

Built 1987 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 2,104

DEERHEAD LAKE DR

Fair

Over: NO.BRANCH FORKED RIVER

1.69 Mi East of US Rt 9, Ocean, NJ

Built 1978 Load: 49.9 t ADT: 4,319

GSP NB

Fair

Over: NJ ROUTE 72

1.5 MI NW OF RT9&72 JCT, Ocean, NJ

Built 1954 Load: 50.2 t ADT: 34,229

LAKEHURST RD (527)

Fair

Over: GSP

0.5 MI N OF TOMS RIVER, Ocean, NJ

Built 1951 Load: 51.2 t ADT: 16,940

BUCKWALD DRIVE

Fair

Over: MOSQUITO COVE

0.97 MI. N. OF RT. 549, Ocean, NJ

Built 1988 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 6,306

ROUTE NJ 37

Fair

Over: BARNEGAT BAY

BARNEGAT BAY CROSSING, Ocean, NJ

Built 1958 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 24,360

SW BOUND CAR ENTRY

Fair

Over: COUNTY ROUTE 537

1.31 MI SW OF I195&537 JC, Ocean, NJ

Built 1974 Load: 51.7 t ADT: 3,130

I-195 WB

Fair

Over: TRENTON-CASSVILLE RD

JCT OF CO.RT 571, Ocean, NJ

Built 1970 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 24,572

COUNTY ROUTE 635

Fair

Over: COOKS CREEK

1.66 MI E.OF NJ 35, Ocean, NJ

Built 1981 Load: 53.5 t ADT: 5,163

CEDAR SWAMP ROAD

Fair

Over: I-195

AT I-195 EXIT 21, Ocean, NJ

Built 1977 Load: 54.4 t ADT: 13,967
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBridges

Every figure on PlainBridges is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. NBI condition categories reflect the latest reported inventory record, not a live safety, closure, or travel decision.